I disagree...there is a huge difference between males sparring/fighting for dominance and copulation attempts. I have watched these EBTs in our outdoor habitat (right below my kitchen window, allowing frequent, easy observations) for over a decade, and I have witnessed well over a hundred copulations as well as sparring behavior, and this is different. Louie gets his hind legs clasped under Sonny, and attempts to copulate. This is very different from the bumping, frontal biting, ramming response of the males seen when sparring. Yes, males will sometimes climb on top of one another for dominance, but NOT to the exclusion of females. Louie's copulation attempts with Sonny are to the exclusion of the females. He has done it now for two years in a row, consistently.
Finally...I never said the photo was copulation/penetration...I said it was a mating attempt, which it clearly is. "Mating attempt" includes intentional pursuit, biting along the sides of the shell, mounting, clasping legs underneath the carapace, and attempts at copulation. I don't know what you mean by "clearly defined" but what I have is a naturalistic environment with consistently observed behaviors (which has empirical validity). I think taking the male out (Sonny) and leaving Louie in with only the females would actually provide less empirical validity (for the conclusion of his behavior as homosexual).
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Sloop John B
MORELIA TROPHY CLUB
moreliapython.googlepages.com/

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